Of keokuk



i i (No Model.)

A. O; DECKER.

CURRY 00MB.

} No. 333,451. Patented Dem 299, 1885.

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ALEXANDER O. DECKER, OF KEOKUK,

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PATENT IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES AYRES AND PETER AYRES, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

CURRY-COMB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 333,451, dated December 29, 1885. Application filed September 14, 1885. Serial N0.177,032. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

' Be it known that I, ALEXANDER G. DECKER,

of Keokuk, in the county of Lee and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful 5 Improvements in Curry-Combs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to curry-combs; and it consists in certain novel features of construction hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Figure l of the annexed drawings is a perspective View of my improved curry-comb; Fig. 2, a View showing its parts detached.

rrior to my invention curry-combs have been commonly made of toothed strips of 1 sheet metal, and more recently stretched wires have been employed in lieu of the toothed strips. In practice each is found peculiarly useful and effective for certain portions of the work contemplated, but not well suited 2 for other portions thereof. Thus the toothed strips are very effective upon the neck and smooth body portions of animals, while unsuitable for flanks, legs, or other tender portions, or for parts where the bones are more 2 exposed. On the other hand, the strained or stretched wires answer well for use upon the more tender portions of animals, or where the bones are more exposed, but are inferior to the toothed plates or strips for the smooth body and neck.

As hitherto constructed these two implements have been entirely separate and disconnected, necessitating two handles and a heavy frame, as compared with that used by 5 me, and consequently involving greater expense, and, what is more objectionable, requiring one device to be laid aside and another taken up whenever a change from one to the other is desired. Under my construc- 0 tion it is only necessary to turn the comb over to bring one or the other device into use.

The construction will be readily understood upon referring to the drawings, in which A and B indicate two light rectangular metal 5 frames, each-having one side bar arched or curved, and provided with a notched or roughened tang, a, as shown in Fig. 2. The

frame A has riveted to it a series of plates or strips, 0, of sheet metal bent into U form and toothed on their edges, as in the common style of curry-comb. The frame B is formed with a stud, b, on its arched bar, to which is made fast one end of a wire or wire cord, D, which passes thence from end to end of the frame, back and forth, passing at each end of the frame around a lug or projection, c, of proper width to space the folds or sewings of wire. The second end of the wire or wire cord is then passed through a hole, (1, in the frame B, and tied, knotted, or otherwise made fast. Both frames A and B are formed with perforated ears 6 at their outer corners, which ears of the two frames are brought together and secured by rivets f, as shown in Fig. 1. By thus bringing together and securing the ears the fangs a C6 are likewise brought together, and, resting one upon the. other, they constitute in effect one tang, to which a suitable handle, E, is applied, thus completing the implement. rear bar of frames A and B the two workingfaces of the implement are caused to stand at an angle to thehandle, so that the hand of the groom is not brought into contact with the animal in currying. The ears 6 serve to receive the blow given in striking the comb against an object to clear its teeth.

With the comb thus constructed it is only necessary to turn the implement over in order to change from one working-surface to the other.

The manner of uniting the frames and setting them at an angle, one to the other, causes each to brace and support the other, and thus enables me to use a verylight frame, 8 which is important in view of the fact that the two implements are combined in one.

I do not broadly claim either part of the implement alone or separately, being well aware that the toothed metal strips and the wire, both plain and twisted, and of various cross-sections, are old.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The herein-described curry-comb, con- 5 sisting of frames A B, having tangs a and ears 6, connected by rivets, and handle E, applied to said tangs a, the frame A being fun By arching the 7o nished with toothed metal strips O, and the plied to the tangs, substantially as set forth frame B having wire D passing from end to and shown. end, substantially as shown and explained.

2. The curry-comb consisting of frames A B, ALEXANDER C. DECKER. 5 provided, respectively, With toothed metal plates or strips and with stretched wire, said Witnesses: frames each having the inner or rear bar arched JAMES AYREs, and furnished with a tang, and handle E, ap- PETER AYREs. 

